Popular Links

Facts on Health Education

Key facts regarding comprehensive sex education in Murrieta Valley public schools. The goal of this page is to clear any misinformation in our community as it relates to comprehensive sex education, as well as direct you to where facts can be found. Shared graphic images and salacious details are understandably shocking to most, but they in no way represent what Murrieta Valley USD teaches as a part of comprehensive sexual education.

Originally known as AB 329, the California Healthy Youth Act is a state law that requires schools to provide students with comprehensive sexual health education, along with information about HIV prevention, at least once in high school and once in middle school, starting in seventh grade.

The California Healthy Youth Act is not a curriculum — each district is responsible for establishing its own curriculum — and it affirms the right of parents to opt out of sex education. Required topics include the safety and effectiveness of contraceptive methods, sexually transmitted diseases, gender identity, sexual orientation and healthy relationships.

The Health Education Framework is an optional guide to help educators deliver lessons tied to California’s health education standards. The framework was approved by the state Board of Education on May 8 with revisions. The revised framework with the revision reflected will be released by the California Department of Education in the fall of 2019.

This framework contains recommendations related to physical, mental, emotional and social health. It Is NOT a curriculum, a law, a bill or mandate for public and charter schools in California. It is as a voluntary handbook designed to help districts and teachers develop curriculums and instruction that enable students to make healthy choices and avoid high-risk behaviors. The framework covers these six content areas:

Nutrition and physical activity

Growth, development and sexual health

Injury, prevention and safety

Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs

Mental, emotional and social health

Personal and community health

Murrieta Valley USD does not use or plan to use framework. We are obligated to follow the Health Education Content Standards for California Public Schools, adopted in 2008 and the California Healthy Youth Act of 2016.

To access the Health Education Content Standards for California Public Schools, please visit the following website: www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/

Parent Rights and Notification at MVUSD

Murrieta Valley continues to champion for transparent and active parent partnerships. Our values are reflective of our community and we hold parents in high esteem. Parents/Guardians are encouraged at every level of his/her students education to partner with us.

In the fall of 2018, the Board of Education strengthened district policies relating to parental notification and rights; comprehensive health education; controversial issues; and parents role in the selection and evaluation of instructional materials. Revisions were codified to clearly place into policy the following specifics:

Respect for parental rights to supervise and impart their values for their student(s) regarding sexual health.

Solidified the district’s implementation of comprehensive sex education instruction to only, once in middle school and once in high school. For MVUSD, the instruction occurs in 8th grade science class and 9th grade health class.

Annual Notifications communicating parental rights in education. Additionally, MVUSD sends a 2nd notification about comprehensive sexual health instruction and the opt-out procedures for parents at least one month to two weeks prior to the time of instruction.

Instructional material review processes to include parent and community participation as well as opportunities for public review.

For more information, on each policy, please click the below linked files which have been annotated in the areas to show where parental rights are discussed:

Lastly, Murrieta Valley Unified School District is committed to collaborating with parents and providing opportunities for engagement. Parents are welcome at school and the school staff sincerely appreciates their support and participation. Parents are encouraged to volunteer in their child’s classroom as well as for the many special activities throughout the year. Parents and community involvement are encouraged through PTA, PTC, PTSA, Booster Clubs, W.A.T.C.H. Dogs and School Site Council (SSC). There are several parent focused advisory groups through the district which are open to all parents such as; the African-American Parent Advisory Group (AAPAC), Latino Parent Advisory Council (LPAC), District English Language Advisory Committee (DELAC), Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) and Measure BB Oversight Committee.

Each group is comprised of dedicated parents who are steadfast in promoting strategic efforts to support student learning in effective ways. For more information on these groups, please visit the parents page under Advisory groups.